Web Services

Uploading and managing your files and folders using SmartFTP

This tutorial is presented to teach you to upload and then manage your files and folders to your web site using the desktop program, SmartFTP. We will assume that you already have SmartFTP on your computer, and that you have it running, but not connected yet to any remote server. If you don't have your web site configured in SmartFTP yet, and need some assistance, please see the tutorial "Configuring your web site in SmartFTP". The program opens with a large blank window.

Let's learn how to upload your files and folders from your local host, or your computer to the remote server. First you need to open a browser window. Click on File, in the upper left corner. From the drop-down menu, click on New Local Browser. This will open a browser window, and you will see folders and files located on your computer.

The next step is to establish a connection with the remote server. There are two methods. The first method: Under the menu bar at the top of the window, you will see a series of boxes. The first box is called Address. The second box is Login, and the third box is Password. Into the first box, you would enter the remote server name, into the second box enter your FTP username and into the third you enter your FTP password. You then click the Green Arrow button at the end of the Address box. This will connect you with the remote server. The second method is to select Favorites from the menu bar at the top of the window. Select the folder you created for your web site, and click on it. Then click on the address of the web site. You are now connected using this method.

You now have two open windows. The one the right is the local host, or your local computer. The window on the left is the remote server. The first step to uploading is to establish where on the remote server you are going to upload the files to. You should start by finding public/html, and begin navigating from there, until you find the location for the upload. Now you need to select the files in your local computer (the right window) screen for upload. To select the file, simply highlight name. To upload multiple files, hold the CTRL key while selecting the files you want to upload. When you are done, click the Upload Icon between the screens to begin the upload. It is a Blue arrow. When the upload is complete, you will see the files listed in the remote server window.

To download a file(s), simply select the file(s) by highlighting them, the same as you did to upload files. Then when you are ready, click on the Download Icon, which is the Blue circle with an arrow between the windows, pointing at the right window. When the download is complete, you will see the files in the right hand window, where they have been successfully downloaded.

You will now learn how to manage files and folders in SmartFTP. The first thing you are going to do is create a new folder on the remote server. Begin by clicking on the New Folder icon, which is located above the left hand window, and looks like an open folder. This will create a new folder in the remote server screen, and you will now need to give it a name. Type a name in the box. To rename a folder, highlight the name. Click on the Rename Icon, which is above the remote server window, to the left of the big red x. Type the new name in the box by the folder, and it is now renamed. Files can also be renamed this way.

To delete a file or folder, make sure it is highlighted. Now click on the Delete Icon. This is above the remote server window, and is a big red x. SmartFTP will ask you to confirm that you wish to delete the item, so click on the Yes. The folder or file is now deleted.

Now you are going to learn how to change the permissions of a file. First, select the file you wish to change the permissions on in the remote server window by highlighting it. Then click the Properties Icon, above the remote server window. It looks like a page, with a pencil in front of it. This will open the Properties window for the file you selected. To change the permissions, you can simply enter the new permissions value in the box, or you can check off the appropriate permission boxes from the list. When you are done changing permissions, click on OK. The permissions for the selected file have now been changed.

You can also view the contents of a file on the remote server without having to first download it to your computer. Select a file by highlighting it. Now click the View Icon, which is located above the remote server window. It looks like a page, with a green arrow pointing down. This will open your file for viewing, in a separate window. Close by clicking the x in the upper right corner.

To close the connection to the remote server, click the Disconnect Icon, which is above the remote server window. It looks like a computer with a red x on the cord. The SmartFTP program will ask you to confirm you want to close the Remote Browser. Click on the Yes. You are now disconnected.

This completes this tutorial. You should now know how to upload and download files in the program SmartFTP. You also know how to manage files and folders, by creating new folders, deleting folders, renaming files and folders, changing permissions, viewing files without downloading them, and closing your connection.